Be Who You Truly Are

“I’m sorry” is what was written on the back of my HS softball team shirt. My best friend’s said, “I’m sorrier.”

What started as a joke about how badly we threw and caught balls on the field went so far as to be printed on the backs of our shirts.

Yesterday, I spoke with a young woman who recently graduated from a prestigious university. She was reflecting on how much she apologizes for things. Basically for existing.

We had a great conversation that led to me telling her the story of my softball shirt, and how far I had come since then. The fact that she sees how much she apologizes means she is ready to let it go.

Being Who You Are is a journey of undoing, of unlearning, of reeducation, allowing and unfolding. It’s a journey of learning to love all of our parts along the way.

I was at an event recently and when I walked into the Women’s Room, a young woman was coming out of the stall. She looked at me and said, “I’m sorry” as she reached for the sink.

Then again as she walked out of the bathroom.

Why? It’s so invasive, so deeply ingrained in us at such a young age that we are wrong in some way.

That taking up space is wrong.

That breathing air is wrong.